Telegram-herald., 1887-12-01
THAT FOUR HUNDRED
Nh. wlDoIcoms's EXPLANATION.
The Check Given ny ars 6xriock-Tes
Matter Untoastseiy al Unter-
faasts FFror 0n the Part
Of Mrs. 6zriock.

The case of Mrs. Jane Gsrlock sesint
William wlddlcom has very naturally
aroused no littk comment ascut tie city
aud inasmaeh as il las teen pst ever on
the Kent Cirdait docket fer nearly ave
unoEths. A reporter for the TxLKsKAN-
HEARLD saw Mr.. Widdicomb yesterday ior
the purpose OF obtaining fuIl statement
from him.
Il had not intended" said Mr.
Widdicomo. TO say anything about
the matter lad hoped
that il could be tried al once but
nov thar the case has been put over / feel
taat o ght 10 tell all the CIRCUMSTANCES o.
tbelS o. April iast Mr.. Jane Gsrl1:k
w8A Der daughter Mrs. Belknsp come into
the Grand Rapids Nagionsl Bank and made
deposit with Teller Davis. Mrs Garlock
then came 10 me aud asked IL George H.
Thompson had called there for her told
her lac had not aEd she said she
was 10 meet him there al that time.
asked herself and daughter
to step into the direoter's room
and wait for him. In the course Of ten or
fifteen minutes Mr. Thompson cams in and
had few minutes talk with the ladies' and
then came cut 10 me and asked for : deed
from James Turner. OF Lansing. " hieh re
held as q collection Simply. | handed the
deed To him in order that Mrs. Garlcck
might took IL over ana left him 70 transact
any business he might have With the ladies'
In few moments Mr. Thompson came ont
with check for s400 signed
by Mrs. Jane 0arlock as Administrative and
made pa yable to the order Of James Turner.
took the check. called his attention 10 the
fact that the check vas made payable 10
Mr.. Turner's order and that il should be
bearer. He returned 10 Mrs. Garlock and
shortly brought back the check with the
words "Or bearer written in the same
handwriting as the signature. / again
looked through the check aud there saw that
1t was not dated. He then returned to
Mrs. Garlock and in her presence dated the
check himself. | then gave him the deed.
Now right here let me say that do not
believe Mrs. Garlock is actuated by any
motives of malice in beginning this suit.
She is simply mistaken" In the conrse OF
| n few minutes after the above transaction
Mr.. Thompson and the two ladies passed
out At the foot OF the steps Mrs. Garlock
handed Mr.. Thompson the deed 10 record.
Now Mrs. Garlock says l received the
500 for deposit after she had
signed the check-that Mr.. Thompson paid
the money to me. Mr.. Thompson says he
did not pay the money to me. He says
| hat he has a vague recollection of count
| ing over some money while he was in the
| directors ROOM"
"Were you in the directors room al all
| with the ladies, Mr.. Widdicomb?"
81 was not in there after escorting them
| there. Mrs. Garlock came 10 me some time
| sfterward and said she had deposited the
| money with me. / told her that she was
certainly mistaken and asked her to think
over all the transactions of the day. Asked
| her also IL her daughter could not assist her.
Mrs. Belknap was then out of town and
asked her to write to her and see If she
| could not remember When Mrs. Belknsp
returned she was particularly bitter toward
me and very positive / had received the
money. Finally Dir. Thompson, Mrs. Gar
| locks attorney, came and | offered to
| leave the whole matter to any bust
ness friend of Mrs. Garlock's and
| to allow him to decide the matter npon
| heariug the statements of both sides. He
| suggested K. G. Luce, who he said was an
| adviser of the lady. l further offered to
| leave the matter TO three arbitrators, Sc
| leoted in the usual way, and if either of the
! above propositions was accepted and they
decided against me would pay the 800
| the bank could not. All propositions were
| rejected by the ladies. "Of course this
places me in very embarrassing position, y
must wait the action of the
courts. but it Is really peculiar
| to say the least, that the lady should after
having looked the check through three
times, then pay me the money for the deed
which she received"
1t is only Just to Mr. Widdicomb to say
| that the charge looks ridiculous. Mrs. Gar
| lock is the administrative Of a large estate,
| she is constantly signing checks, making
loans and handling money. Mr.. Widdi-
| combs friends are of course chagrined at
the unfortunate charge, but even his ene-
| mics cannot but believe that there is mis-
take upon the part of the complainant In
1 the case.